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Interstate 520
Interstate 520 (I-520) is a 23.34-mile (37.56 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway of Interstate 20 (I-20) that encircles most of Augusta, Georgia, and North Augusta, South Carolina as a three-quarter beltway around the western, southern, and eastern parts of the main part of the Augusta metropolitan area. It begins at I-20 and State Route 232 (GA 232) in the northern part of Augusta, and ends at I-20 in the northern part of North Augusta, South Carolina. I-520 is also known as Bobby Jones Expressway and the Deputy James D. Paugh Memorial Highway in Georgia and Palmetto Parkway in South Carolina. On the Georgia side, the road also carries the internal designation State Route 415 (GA 415). Despite the number "5" as the first odd-number in its three-digit number, I-520 have both ends to its parent route I-20, and it should have one end to a surface road and another one end to an Interstate Highway System, like a spur route. However, I-520 might be considered a bypass, beltway, or spur. Route description I-520 begins at an interchange with I-20 (Carl Sanders Highway) and the internal designation of GA 402 in the northern part of Augusta, Georgia. At this interchange, the roadway continues as GA 232, which takes on the Bobby Jones Expressway name. The Interstate travels to the south-southeast. After passing the Augusta Exchange shopping complex, east of Doctors Hospital, it has an interchange with Wheeler Road and Marks Church Road. After a slight western jog, I-520 continues to the south-southeast and meets Wrightsboro Road, which leads to Augusta Mall. About 1 mile (1.6 km) later is an interchange with US 78/US 278/GA 10 (Gordon Highway). The freeway curves to the southeast, passing by Glenn Hills Middle School and Glenn Hills High School, to an interchange with US 1/GA 4 (Deans Bridge Road) and GA 540 (Fall Line Freeway). It passes by a campus of Augusta Technical College and the Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School, before curving to the east-southeast and meeting an interchange with Windsor Spring Road and US 25/GA 121 (Peach Orchard Road). After a curve to the east is an interchange with GA 56 (Mike Padgett Highway), which is east of Southside Elementary School and northeast of East-Central Regional Hospital. I-520 curves to the east-northeast and has an interchange with Doug Barnard Parkway (formerly signed as GA 56 Spur). The interstate gradually curves to the northeast and has an interchange with Laney Walker Boulevard and GA 28 (Sand Bar Ferry Road). Just over 1,000 feet (300 m) later, it crosses the Savannah River into South Carolina and the city limits of North Augusta. I-520 curves to the north-northwest, to an interchange with US 1/US 78/US 278 (Jefferson Davis Highway, only signed as "US 1"). The highway curves back to the north-northeast and has an interchange with South Carolina Highway 126 (SC 126; Clearwater Road). During a slight westward shift is an interchange with US 25/SC 121 (Edgefield Road). Just north-northeast of there, I-520 meets its eastern terminus, another interchange with I-20 (J. Strom Thurmond Freeway). In Georgia, I-520 is known as Bobby Jones Expressway for golfer Bobby Jones. In South Carolina it is known as Palmetto Parkway for the sabal palmetto, the state tree of South Carolina. Between exits 2–3, the highway is known as the Deputy James D. Paugh Memorial Highway after a Richmond County sheriff's deputy. I-520 loses its state route designation in South Carolina, as that state does not co-number its interstates with state highway numbers. History The highway that would become I-520 was under construction between May 1963 and January 1966 from its western terminus to just south of the US 1/GA 4 interchange in Augusta, Georgia. Also, it was proposed to be an extension of GA 232, at least as far as US 25/GA 121. In 1966, the highway was open, and signed as GA 232, from I-20 to Wrightsboro Road. It was under construction from US 1/GA 4 to Doug Barnard Parkway. In 1974, GA 232 was open from Wrightsboro Road to US 1/GA 4. In 1977, the highway was redesignated as I-520. The next year, it was open from US 1/GA 4 to Doug Barnard Parkway. In 1986, the highway was under construction from Doug Barnard Parkway to GA 28. In 1998, this segment was opened. The next year, it was proposed to be extended to the South Carolina state line. In 2004, this extension was opened. In 2010, the highway was extended to its current eastern terminus in the northern part of North Augusta. In January 2015, 4.7 miles (7.6 km) of I-520 were expanded to three lanes after starting work in February 2012 for a cost of $33 million. Exit list. In accordance with MUTCD guidelines for auxiliary interstates, exit numbering is continuous across the state line and does not reset. See also * Interstate 20 in Georgia * Interstate 185 (Georgia) * Interstate 285 (Georgia) * Interstate 475 (Georgia) * Interstate 516 * Interstate 575 * Interstate 675 (Georgia) * Interstate 985 Category:Interstate 520 Category:Interstate Highways Category:Highways and roads Category:Auxiliary Interstate Highways Category:Interstate Highways in Georgia Category:Interstate Highways in South Carolina Category:Interstate 20 Category:Bypasses Category:Spurs Category:Augusta, Georgia Category:North Augusta, South Carolina Category:Augusta metropolitan area Category:Auxiliary Interstate Highways in multiple states Category:Expressways in Georgia Category:Expressways in South Carolina Category:Highways numbered 520